SPECT examination device

• US 7,199,371 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2002
• Issued: 04/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG (Miltenyi GmbH), Scivis Wissenschaftliche Bildverarbeitung GmbH
• Original Assignee: Forschungszentrum Jã¼Lich GmbH (Bundesrepublik Deutschland), Scivis GmbH
• Inventors: Halling, Horst, Ebel, Gernot, Schramm, Nils
• Primary Examiner(s): HANNAHER, CONSTANTINE
• Application Number:
  US10/487,700
• Publication Number:
  US 20040239941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 250/363.04, 250/363.06
• US Class Current: 250/363.04
• CPC Class Codes: G01T 1/1648 Ancillary equipment for scintillation cameras, e.g. reference markers, devices for removing motion artifacts, calibration devices adapted for flow studies G01T1/1647

Abstract

A tomography device, particularly for single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), comprises a multi-pinhole collimator and a detector for detecting gamma quanta or photons that penetrate the multi-pinhole collimator. In a tomographic method using the device, the distance between the object and the multi-pinhole collimator is selected to be smaller than the distance between the multi-pinhole collimator and the surface of the detector.

Claims

1. A device for the implementation of a tomographical method using single photon emission computed tomography comprising a multiple-pinhole collimator and a detector having a surface for registering photons or gamma quanta which pass through the multiple-pinhole collimator, wherein the detector together with the collimator is movable around a holder, the distance between the holder for the object to be imaged and the multiple-pinhole collimator is smaller than the distance between the multiple-pinhole collimator and the surface of the detector, and said device is arranged so that the photons or gamma quanta passing through the multiple-pinhole collimator form cones on the surface of the detector that always partially overlap.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the multiple-pinhole collimator is made from at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten and iridium.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the multiple-pinhole collimator includes pinholes and regions formed of iridium adjacent to the pinholes.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the multiple-pinhole collimator includes pinholes and the pinholes open in a funnel shape from both sides into the multiple-pinhole collimator.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the multiple-pinhole collimator is made from at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten and iridium, the multiple-pinhole collimator includes pinholes and regions formed of iridium adjacent to the pinholes, and the pinholes open in a funnel shape from both sides into the multiple-pinhole collimator.

6. A tomographical method using single photon emission computed tomography comprising providing a multiple-pinhole collimator and a detector having a surface for registering photons or gamma quanta which pass through the multiple-pinhole collimator, spacing an object to be imaged and the collimator a first distance which is smaller than a second distance between the multiple-pinhole collimator and the surface of the detector, imaging said object so that the photons or gamma quanta passing through the multiple-pinhole collimator form cones on the surface of the detector that always partially overlap, and moving the camera together with the collimator around the object.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein the multiple-pinhole collimator is made from at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten and iridium.

8. A method as in claim 6, wherein the multiple-pinhole collimator includes pinholes and regions formed of iridium adjacent to the pinholes.

9. A method as in claim 6, wherein the multiple-pinhole collimator includes pinholes and the pinholes open in a funnel shape from both sides into the multiple-pinhole collimator.

10. A method as in claim 6, wherein the multiple-pinhole collimator is made from at least one metal selected from the group consisting of tungsten and iridium, the multiple-pinhole collimator includes pinholes and regions formed of iridium adjacent to the pinholes, and the pinholes open in a funnel shape from both sides into the multiple-pinhole collimator.

11. A method as in claim 6 wherein the cones extend along an area on the surface of the detector and the partial overlap is up to 70% of the area of the cones extending along the surface of the detector.

12. A method as in claim 6, further including a reconstruction method to determine an object image including determining measured multiple-pinhole projections based on the distribution of radio-pharmaceuticals in the object, assuming different distributions of radio pharmaceuticals in the object, calculating multiple projections from the assumed distributions, and selecting as a result of the reconstruction the assumed distribution for which the calculated multiple-pinhole projections most accurately agrees with the measured multiple-pinhole projections obtained.